Chain-link construction



E. NICHOLS. 0mm LINK CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION- FILED APR 12 19191,430,834. 1' V Pat-med 00t.3,1922.

4 INVENTOR. EMSAEE NICHOL s.

I ATTORNEYS Patented Hot. 3, 1922.

EDGAR B. NICHOLS. 03E ROCHESTER, NEVT YORK.

CHAIN-LINK CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed .[lnril 12,

To (all 107mm it may cm'zcern:

Be it known that I, linens B. NIorioLs, a citizen of the United States.and a resident of Rochester, county of mace, and State of New York, haveinvented a certain new and useful Chain-Link Construction; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which like numerals refer to like parts.

This invention relates to chain links of the block type and is animprovement over the form of link shown in my former application SerialNo. 225,998 filed April 1, 1918.

The feature of the present invention is in forming the link from onepiece of metal and bending the same so as to provide holes at the endthereof for the reception of piv oted pins such as are used inconnecting the side plates of the ordinary construction to the blockportion of the link.

A further feature of the invention is in so arranging the parts of themetal forming the block portion of the link as to give added strengththereto without materially adding to the weight of the block, and at thesame time lessen the cost of production of all the parts of the link.

A further feature of the invention is in so constructing the material,which consists of asection of flat sheet metal, that the fibre of themetal will preferably run parallel with the stress in the link and willextend around the pins of the chain.

A. further feature of the invention is in so forming the parts of thelink structure that said parts, when completed, will interlock, suchinterlocking parts rendering it possible, under certain conditions, todispense with welding the parts of the link structure together at apoint between the openings for the pivot pins.

In the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this application,Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the block portion of a link showing themeeting ends thereof interlocked together. Fig. 2 is a similar viewshowing the interlocking ends after the same have been welded together.Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a different form of locking means. Fig.4 is a perspective view of a further modified form of locking means forthe ends of a link structure. Fig. 5 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 6is a perspective View of a further modified form of inter- 1919. SerialNo. 289,651.

locking means. Fig. 7 is a top plan view thereof.

In the formof structure shown the block portions of the link are formedfrom sheets of metal. which sheets are of properwidth to form parts ofthe chain structure. and these widths may be varied. in accordance withthe different widths of links desired. or

increased to correspond with the size of the 55 sprocket with which thelinks cooperate. The block link 10 is formed by bending the ends 11 and12 of the strip in loop formation until said ends are brought togetherover the middle portion of the metal strip, the

end 11 having an inwardly bent portion 13, while the end 12 is bent toform a channel 1 into which the end 13 seats, thereby inter- I lockingsaid ends together, which completes the formation of a block link whenthe same is to be used with a chain having a minimum amount of stressthereon. lVlien the chain structure is to be subjected to heavierstrain, the ends 11 and'12 are welded together and to the middle portionof the strip as best shown at 15 in 2 of the drawings. The ends'of thestrip of metal, after being interlocked, are preferably forced inwardlyuntil they rest against the middle portion of the strip so as to formpin openings 16 at each is provided with a substantially l..-shapedchannel 18 for the reception of the end 17. In Fig. 4 of the drawingsthe metal strip 1.0 is similar to the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2,except that the ends 11 and 12 are slit longitudinally to form tongues19, 20,

21 and 22 respectively, the tongue 19 having a depending end 23 whichengages a channel 2 1. formed in the end of the tongue 21. The tongue 20is bent to form a channel 25 for the reception of the projection 26 onthe tongue 22, the ends 11 and 12 having reversed and adjacent tongueand groove connections. (see Figs. 41 andfi).

Figs. 6 and 7 show a further modified interlocking structure, in thateach of the ends 11 and 12 are prolonged, the width thereof reducedsubstantially one half to form tongues 27 and 28 respectively on theparts 11 and 12, the inner edge of said tongues having lateralextensions 29 and 30 which enter ofisets 31 and 32 in the inner edges ofthe tongues 27 and 28 respectively, while the ends of the tongues areprovided with ex tensions 33 and respectively which enter recesses and36 respectively, thus forming a lock against longitudinal as well aslateral strain in the parts of the link structure.

Under normal conditions the interlocking features of the various formsof link structure shown will be suflicient to produce a finishedstructure, but it will be understood that in addition to providing theseinterlocking features the folds of the strip of metal may be weldedtogether so as to form a solid structure, thisbeing preferable where theblock link of a chain is formed of the sheet metal strip and subjectedto very heavy strain.

In preparing the strips of metal they are cut from a sheet of metal, andlongitudinally thereof so that the fibre of the metal will extendlongitudinally of the strip, whereby when the strips are bent intoproper shape to form the block links, the fibre of the metal will runparallel with the strain and will extend around the pins employed forsecuring the link blocks into chain formation. By constructing the linkin this manner the cost of manufacture thereof is very greatly reducedas they can be manufactured with less effort and the strength thereofmaintained and multiplied without adding to the cost of. production.

The invention claimed is:

1. The process of forming a link for sprocket chains consisting inbending the sitely turned halves of one end into engagement with thecorresponding portions of the other end of the strip.

3. The process of forming a link for sprocket chains consisting inbending a flat strip of metal upon itself so that the ends thereof areinterlocked and are pressed upon the middle portion, leaving pin bearingloops at the outermost bends, and securing said interlocked ends bywelding.

a. The process of forming a link for sprocket chains consisting ofbending Widthwise a fiat strip of metal and bringing the ends thereof tothe middle portion; interlocking the ends of the strip with each other,and pressing said interlocked ends upon the middle portion of the stripand securing them thereto by welding.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto afiixed my signature.

EDGAR B. NICHOLS.

